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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bank — for money
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bank — for money
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rest — a break
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. press — newspapers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. press — to push
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rest — what's left
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bank — of a river

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com